So many flavors. So little time. It’s the one meal a year that can set our wine pairing brains on fire. Not to worry. Here are our humble Wine Sisterhood tips to make your holiday wine-worry-free.

Red or White? How about both. Likely you’ll have a wide array of dishes on the table, ranging from the lighter to heavier side on a varying scale from super-savory to sweet. Not to mention the personal preferences of your many guests.

Grace your Thanksgiving table or sideboard buffet with a bountiful selection of open bottles and fun glassware (we love Mason jars!). Let your guests make their own selections.

Breaking it down to four different style wines:

Dry white

A dry white such as Middle Sister Drama Queen Pinot Grigio or Monogamy Chardonnay.

Lovely with appys, first-course harvest soups, seafood or for those who prefer a drier or more full-bodied white wine with their turkey.

Off-dry white

A slightly off-dry white such as White Haute Riesling or PromisQous White.

A bit of residual sugar (off-dryness) complements the sweeter flavors often found on the Thanksgiving table well, such as candied sweet potatoes or yams, condiments such as cranberry sauce, glazed carrots and the like. Also perfect with a vegetarian or vegan meal.

Medium-bodied red

A medium-bodied red such as Middle Sister Goodie Two-Shoes Pinot Noir or Middle Sister Rebel Red.

Pinot Noir is the classic bridge wine, especially good with a holiday menu that includes many different flavors. Although turkey is a “white meat,” Pinot Noir makes the link between the bird and the savory stuffing, which often contains ingredients such as sausage or mushrooms.

Middle Sister Rebel Red is a Zinfandel blend which might seem odd with poultry. Zin is more often associated with hearty dishes like burgers, pasta and pizza. But because our version has very soft, approachable tannins and a velvety texture, Rebel’s place is welcomed at this table. Not to mention, she will appeal to the red wine drinkers (and Middle Sisters!) in the gang.

Full-bodied red

A full-bodied red such as Purple Cowboy Tenacious Red Syrah/Cabernet blend or Monogamy Cabernet Sauvignon.

I probably should be saving this pairing for the Prime Rib on Dec. 25, but because I am a lover of big, red wines, I enjoy them with just about anything. Especially if you are doing a heritage turkey, ham or game such as pheasant or duck. These bigger, richer proteins demand a little more ooomph.

Ooomph = bigger tannins, more texture, darker color, more intense flavor. Anyway… always love me some Purple Cowboy!

OK Wine Sisters. Get crackin’. Somebody told me you can make and freeze pie dough ahead of time.

I’ll be getting right on that.

If you can’t find our wines in your local stores, they’re all available to purchase in our new online wine shop. And whether you’re planning for Thanksgiving or another big holiday get together, download our Drink-U-Lator app on your iPhone or Android to help you calculate how much of each beverage you’ll need on-hand to keep everyone satisfied. 

Cheers, 
@mavelicious